Daily Market Highlights (17.08.2010)

  • Most active equities close today’s trading session in negative territory dragging the MSE Share Index 0.53% lower to close at 3,481.157 points. MaltaPost ranks as today’s worst performer with a decline of 8.9% to the €0.82 level, followed by BOV (-1.5%), MIA (-1.3%) and FIMBank (-1%). HSBC and IHI close unchanged. Download a copy of today’s Equity Market Summary.
  • BOV reverses most of its recent gains as the share price falls 1.5% to €3.25 on volumes of 16,856 shares. Equity now 13.6% below its 2010 high of €3.761. Highest bids now pitched at €3.24 with lowest offers at the €3.30 level.
  • Following two negative trading sessions, HSBC’s equity remains unchanged at €2.92 as 3,335 shares are exchanged across 4 trades. 1,747 shares remain on offer at the closing price.
  • Strong volumes in FIMBank amounting to 196,951 shares. Equity declines 1% to close at €0.97. Recently the trade finance specialist issued its 2010 interim results revealing a 16.1% increase in after-tax profits to US$3.39 million. Further details on results available here.
  • MaltaPost’s share price plunges 8.9% to €0.82 on weak volumes totalling 1,324 shares after two weeks of inactivity. Lowest offers placed at €0.90.
  • IHI continues to trade at its 2010 high of €0.90 as a further 33,054 shares were exchanged at this level. Last Wednesday, IHI’s management company CHI Hotels and Resorts announced that it concluded a 15-year agreement to operate a second hotel in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt as from 1 October 2010. Further details available here. Offers totalling 15,000 shares available at the closing price whilst highest bids are pitched at €0.851.
  • MIA’s equity down 1.3% to close at €1.58 on volumes of 14,000 shares. Last week the airport operator announced that as from January 2011, International Airport Advertising Corporation Ltd will be taking over the advertising programme on MIA’s premises. Further details available here. Lowest offers now placed at €1.62 with further bids pitched at €1.58.
  • Malta Government Stock prices continue to rise. The 20-year paper increased by 218 basis points to 103.18%. New Malta Government Stocks expected to be listed shortly.